The invention concerns a flap panel for an air intake of a motor vehicle and a motor vehicle equipped with at least one flap panel.
The front faces of motor vehicles generally consist of a principal air intake or two air intakes termed the upper path and the lower path separated by a bumper beam. The heat exchangers of the motor vehicle, for example that used for the air conditioning of the passenger compartment, are generally placed behind this bumper beam.
The flap panel is generally also mounted behind the air intakes of the vehicle.
The flaps take the form of transverse slats pivotably mounted on the panel. The inclination of the flaps can be controlled between a vertical blanking position blocking the passage of air and a plurality of intermediate positions leading to a horizontal open position in which a maximum flow of air can circulate.
When the flap panel is closed, the vehicle has a better air penetration coefficient, which makes it possible to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emission. Moreover, the controlled flaps are disposed in front of a heat exchange system which makes it possible in the closed position to accelerate the rise in temperature of the exchangers in the heating phase whilst also reducing the consumption of the vehicle and therefore the CO2 emission.
However, the space available under the hood between the bumper beam and the heat exchangers is relatively small, which can complicate the integration of the panel of controlled flaps with other components such as the parking assistance radar.
Moreover there is the aim to improve the efficacy of the flap panel in the open position.